Seal



Feb'. 4, 1958 J. M. DRQITCOUR ETAL 2,822,227 SEAL Filed Sept. 26, 1955 3Sheets-Sheet l INVENT .4 I Jha M. Drofo u# ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 4, 1958 J. M. DRorrcoUR ET Al. V2,822,227

SEAL

Filed Sept. 26, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Feb. 4, 1958 J. M.DROITCOUR ET AL Filed Sept. 26, 1955 SEAL i 5 sheets-sheet 3 INVENTORS.JED/7H Mrz'fcor By M m ATTORNEYS.

United Safes ,Pafif SEAL John M. Droitcour, Warwick, and Howard A.Droitcour, Cranston, R. I.

Application September 26, 1955, Serial No. 536,629

8 Claims. (Cl. 309-34) This invention relates to a sealing element suchas a piston ring or a rod seal to limit or prevent the passage of fluidbetween two relatively moving or stationary surfaces. This seal may alsobe used in so-called static seal positions where the movement betweensurfaces to be sealed is small and usually limited to breathing of partsbecause of stress.

So-called O-ring seals comprising a soft resilient material of circularcross section have frequently been used in connection with sealingpistons in their cylindrical bores as they reciprocate so as to limit orprevent the passage of uid between the walls of the piston and itscylinder. The clearances between a piston and the bore of the cylinderin which it reciprocates frequently occur as several thousandths of aninch, such for example as from .001 to .007 of an inch, and undercircumstances in which relatively high pressures are existent a softO-ring seal of the character above referred to may become pinched in thespace afforded between the piston and the cylindrical bore in which itmoves, which will cause a rupture of the seal and a failure of this typeof seal. Further, where relatively high temperatures occur, the softO-ring seals fail due to the heat, which causes them to harden undersuch action as either polymerization or vulcanization. Thus, this softtype of packing or seal has its definite limitations of temperatures inwhich it may be used.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a seal for relativelymovable or stationary surfaces, such for instance as a piston and thecylindrical bore in which it is operable, which will avoid both of theabove mentioned diculties.

Another object of this invention is to provide a seal which will limitor prevent the ow of uid between two members and which is flexibleenough to follow such small variations in physical dimensions of themembers asmay occur due to heat and pressures under which the partsoperate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a seal that is sturdy andone that can be used in conditions of high temperature and high pressureand with large or varying clearances between the parts of the devicewith which it operates.

Another object of the invention is to provide a seal which may cooperatewith an O-ring and act as a support for the O-ring to prevent its beingpinched should occasion require.

.Another object of the invention is to provide a seal which willcooperate with an O-ring and in which the O-ring or some other resilientpart may be used to cause theseal toengage the surfaces along whichfluid is to be prevented from liowing.

@With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction as will be, more fully described andparticularly pointed out in theappended claims.

,lri` the accompanying drawings:

llfigure `lis a `sectional view illustrating fragmentally 2,822,227,iftefe'ffeiea 19??,

rice

a cylindrical surfacev and a portion of `apiston.inffsaid cylinderywith.our seal provided toy engage thezcylindrical wall and also thelandformed yby a groove inthe piston with the seal `Abacked up by:Y aresilient means suchas an O-ring for forcing its sealing edges intoengagement with the surfaces which itis to seal;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the sealing member;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Figure 1,` looking in thedirection'of the arrows; t i

Figure 4 is a view on substantially linei4-.4 of Figure l, looking inthe direction of the arrows; i

Figure 5 is a plan view of the sealing member in exi panded positionbefore being folded into corrugated form;

Figure 6 is al perspective view of a sealing member modified slightlywith respect to the member shown inE Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a'sectional viewshowing the sealing 'member of Figure 6 inposition in a diiferently formed groove in the piston;

Figure 8 is an end view of a still further modied form of sealingmember; A

Figure 9 is a sectional view similar to Figure 7 show-` ing the memberof Figure 8 in position in the groove in" the piston;

Figures l0 and 11 are views similar to Figure 7 showing a modified formof groove in a piston and modified' form of member for engaging thegroove and the cylindrical wall with which the piston is associated;

Figure 12 is a sectional view of a fragmental portion of piston andcylinder with a sealing O-ring in position"` in a notch in the pistonand with our sealing 'member'i associated with the 0ring in such arelation as to prevent pinching of the O-ring between the walls of thepiston and the cylinder;

up the member to hold its edges in engagement with the cylinder wall andland of the piston; s

straight andthe other edge corrugated;

Figure 15 is a sectional view similar to the sectional, views 10-13showing the sealing member of Figure. 14l in position; Q Figure 16 is asectional view showing a Vdish-shaped` sealing member mounted on the topof piston within .a cylindrical bore;

Figure 17 is a fragmental perspective view ofthis-sealing member ofFigure 16;

Figure 18 is a sectional view illustrating a reciprocaty,

ing rod in a bore with the groove formed in the cylindrical bore withthe sealing member located in said.,'groovefk and engaging the rod;

Figure 19 is a perspective view of a differently folded",y

or corrugated sealing member;

Figure 20 is a sectional view of a fragmental portion,

of piston and cylinder showing the sealing member of Figure 19 inposition therein;

Figure 21 is a perspective view showing the sealing'` prior to thefolding into theform member of Figure 19 shown in Figure 19; y i

Figure 22 is a plan view of this sealing member;

Figure 23 is a sectional view through the sealing mem--` ber of Figure19.

In proceeding with this invention, we provide in the forms which we haveillustrated a ring which is formed by folding or corrugating in such away that two continuous edges are provided so angled as to engage thesurfaces between which the seal is to be'pravicled.4 ByA this foldingrelation, suiiicient resilience or expansion is. permitted to follow theparts, as they may change their Figure 14 is a perspective view of astill further modi-xlied form of sealing member with one edgesubstantially-p size or shape under conditions .in which .they operate.We have found that by cornrgating or folding a strip of metal andangling its edges'lthat we may engage surfaces at :right :angles toeachother and yet' provide sentaient resilienceno that echanges' inor-lshape'niay be 'fol'- lowed. The corrugations ori-folds"'areeexafggerated tremendously inthe vshowings' inthe drawings', fbut'under actual conditions me .foldediolos'ely together.' *By 'thearrangement which we haveproyided we 'a'lso1m`ayidireo't pressures to agreater extent on one" .surface than "on another Aby appropriatelyangling/the- :se'aling member. By providing theseal-lofmetafl,")deterioration from heat ismreve'nte'd. .The sealalsocombines with lthe usuali!)- ring in that theO-ringmayforce*the-seal iagainst'i-ts -se'aling :surfaces and theO-.ring is prevented from being pinched between -the walls f'of'th'e'surfaces .to .be Asealed and :mayv'itself provide 3.a seal-ing' `actionunder 'some circumstances.

With reference to the drawings, 10 designates .'afragmental portion .fofa 'block :having a cylindrical Ebore .in which lthere isllocatedvalipiston Ifragmentally shown at 111 having a groove 12 in the wall ofthe piston; Clearance at =13 is provided between the pistonrandthecylindrical wall in which it is mounted, and should ein O-ringllthisgroove 12, it mightbe pinched in 'the space 13 by a lateral movementro'f the :piston .ra'gains't lthe cylindrical;

bore. The seal which we provide is formed of .metal for otherksuitable:material and .isshownin PigureZ at 1'4fa'nd consists 'of :sheet stock`ivs'fhi-chiisformed into corrugated form and \may.haversharpfoldglineslas .at s15orof arcuate forms as at `16 1in=Figu`re'6.l`he`iedges 17 an'dl1i8 Lof-this member are so formedthat .theyfwillfexten'd between the surface j19 of=the cylinderandlllofthegroove12`Which forms Ya land `that they will appropriately iengage throughouttheir continuous edges thes'etwo .sur-faces. A

'In the form shown iniFigures l and'2,'the edges17and 18 are at rightangles to each other and :at substantially 45 to Ithe 'lfold lines 15.The continuous line 'formati-'on of `the edge '17 is jshownfin Figure 4,whereasthe` continuousline formation of the'edge-1'83`isshownTin"Figure3.`

By this arrangement vcontinuousline' of `Contact' is formed along bothof these edges 'with the surfaces -19'anc'l20 to be sealed, yand Vaspressutjejwillentler as at '21,/ thispressure willcause lthe 'membertobeforced againstthe surfaces 19 and 20 witha'continuous'line'of'contacten each surfaceandformja'n elfec'tiye sea'llv In some.cases,'"h'ow ever; an O-ri'ng" 22 'may :be located inthe' groove andvserve to press,thesealinglmember .14 against 'its sealing surfaces.Memberll'may'be cut out as shown in Figure "to provide the' edges 4'17'and V18` and' be folded along the* fold lines 15 and 1S-which are shownin dot-dashfomial tiontherein.

In some cases'instead of sharply the member as` shown in theIfiguresabove described,` thecorrugations maybe along thelines`1'6f- 16Voir-ares as ithere shown,

in whichl case the same general situation .is provided as heretoforetdescribed',v In :Figure A7, however, we have shown this formation in a.diiferentlyformed groove 23 which has no Or-ring backing such as Z2 'asshown in In another instan-ce the members2-4iGFi'guref8)ifmay.be.

formed of twofply-material such foriinstanee as metal 25 and a`non-metallic'covering 26 thereon. :In thisiinstance this is shown inFigure 9 in the groove'23similar to `that shown in Figure 7.y TheIedges17,' 1S fin .this .'caselare .at right'angles to `each otherand engage'the .cylindrical surface 19 and the land 42l) as `heretofore provided.The metallZS serves asa l'ja'cklupforthe nonlmetallicmaterialliwhichlrna'yiforina-sealjat its edges.V l y A I1h FigureTl'O'the member 14' "is-shown asprovided with a surface '171the` -sarn'eas thatde'scribed in connection with the'"'menibers of` Figures 4,` 6,"and 8,while` .th'e' oppo'sitef 'ledge 'of fthe member 'designated '28'. is "shown as prbviiled tit'a' different 'anglet'dehgge the'land'lgof 'the .groove `30 .in .the .piston 411 which .angles upwardly from thehorizontal. e

In Figure 11 the same situation exists for the edge 17 of the member 14,but in this case the edge 31 is angled downwardly along the land 32which slopes downwardly from the horizontal as it advances from theouter surface. In Figure 12 We have shown 'a-groove 12 in the piston 11which receives a resilient-O-ring 33 contacting the cylinder wall 19also the surface ofthe grooveas at 35,V while =t`his 1Orring runder.compression and acting itself as a seal is prevented from entering thespace 13 between the piston :and the cylinder belowthe groove Yby.themernber 14 -which has itsv edges y17 and 18 engaging respectively thesurfaces 19 and 2'0 fof 'lthe .'cyili'nder and groove providing anotherseal.

In Figure 13 the member 14 has its edges 17 and 18 in sealing positionas heretofore described, while a coiled spring is 1in-the groove '12 andservesto force Ithe meinber 14 Ainto sealing position against the walls19 and 201 of the lpartsto be sealed.

In Figure .'14 '.we have l-showna sealing member designated37 which has.onel edges 3S Acorrugated by arcuate undulations .39, -while theopposite edge dre'mains-substantially in a straight line. This member islocated lin the groove 1`2of'piston11.andlisshown in sealing Ipositionin .Figure 215 `between the cylinder 1I) 'and piston 11 by thecorrugated surface .38 :engaging 'the *cylinder wall 319, while the`:straight edge 40 engages the land 20 yof the groove :12.

ln anothericase vthe corrugatedsurfacel (Figures 16 andv .17)is1formedon the edge of a dish-'like member-4Z which hasta bottorn'wall '43 whichmay be secured on the, top .of .a piston i11 'located .in .the LcylinderY10 suc'h as by means `of :screws 44,1thetia't surface ofthe-bottom 43and the vflat 'surface of :the top =of the lpiston affording a :fixedseal, while the rresilicnize laorded bly tthe undulated 'or corrugatedform -of theedge of =th`e-dish '42'will ifollow these Surfacesand afforda seal vfrom pressure inthe-direc.

tionof arrow '54 which may .occur along the clearance 53between'therodls and Vthe bore 46.

In some cases a double fold may be provided,t`his being also formed fromfa ribbon-like sheet shown in Figure 22 at 55, which is metal -.or othersuitable material folded along the fdot-dash .lin'es156, 57,1and58asseenin Figure 211 into the forni shown at 59'inFigure v19. Thetriangular areas of ithe folds arefconnected -with-one set o'ffolds 60'being formed along a verticall line and another set of folds 61`beingdisposed-along a horizontal line. AThe sets `with the folds along `theAvertical edge extend upwardly beyond theihorizontal lflds-on theadjoining Set, and likewise the horiioiitlfld extends voutwardly beyondthe vertical folds whereby two. sets 'offcontinuous zig-zagor"corrugatededges a'reiformed designated'lzand 63.,'Thejedgcsi62`whenjpositioned in a'groove or recess"v 64 in a piston 11'will engage the upper land 65 of thisv groove 64, while the .edges63will .engagethe surface 19 of thecylinder" 10. Some resilient backingsuchas 66 may be located alongtlre diagonal lline 67 of this member, tourge it intosea'ling engagement'with the surface 19 andAa's`fsh`owninFigure'20- `By this arrangement'theseal is providedbytwocontinuous edges, jone engaging one of the 'surfaces to be sealedand the other continuous edge engagingthe .oth'ersurfaceto'be sealed.

In forming a seal of this character, it may be highly advantageous toprovide sharpfolds and a rowof websso that in a ring form the spacebetween adjacent surfaces .is small'enou'gh to`p`reve'nt` 0-ingAeritrisionl 'Yet her'eis sufficient resilience and expansion providedyfor changes in size or shape of the parts with which they engage.

We claim:

1. In a seal adapted for high pressure to limit fluid ow between twosurfaces, a sheet-like member having two continuous edges, one of whichengages one of said surfaces in a continuous line of contact and theother of which engages the other of said surfaces in a continuous lineof contact, the marginal portion of said member along one of said edgesbeing corrugated and the edge thereof extending parallel to the surfacecontacted across the entire extent of said corrugation to provide acorrugated edge having a continuous line of contact with the surfacewith which it engages.

2. In a seal adapted for high pressure to limit fluid ow between twosurfaces, a sheet-like member having two continuous edges, one of whichengages one of said surfaces in a continuous line of contact and theother of which engages the other of said surfaces in a continuous lineof contact, the marginal portion of said member along one of said edgesbeing corrugated and the edge thereof extending parallel to the surfacecontacted across the entire extent of said corrugation to provide acorrugated edge having a `continuous line of contact with the surfacewith which it engages, said member having a resilient coating adheredthereto.

3. In a seal adapted for high pressure to limit fluid low between twosurfaces, a sheet-like member having two continuous edges, one of whichengages one of said surfaces in a continuous line of contact and theother of which engages the other of said surfaces in a continuous lineof contact, the marginal portion of said member along one of said edgesbeing corrugated and the edge thereof extending parallel to the surfacecontacted across the entire extent of said corrugation to provide acorrugated edge having a continuous line of contact with the surfacewith which it engages and resilient means urging the sheet-like memberagainst the said surfaces.

4. In a seal adapted for high pressure to limit fluid ow between twosurfaces, a sheet-like member having two continuous edges, one of whichengages one of said surfaces in a continuous line of contact and theother of which engages the other of said surfaces in a continuous lineof contact, the marginal portion of said member along one of said edgesbeing corrugated and the edge thereof extending parallel to the surfacecontacted across the entire extent of `sai-d corrugation to provide acorrugated edge having a continuous line of contact with the surfacewith which it engages and resilient means contacting one of saidsurfaces and said member.

5. In a seal to limit fluid flow between two surfaces, a sheet-likemember having two continuous edges, one of which engages one of saidsurfaces in a continuous line of contact and the other of which engagesthe other of said surfaces in a continuous line of contact, the marginalportion of said member along one of said edges being corrugated toprovide a corrugated line of contact with the surface with which itengages, and a resilient means contacting said surfaces to sealtherewith and also contacting said sheet-like member and forcing thesame against the surfaces to be sealed.

6. In a seal as in claim 5 wherein `said resilient means is an O-ring.

7. In a seal as in claim 3 wherein said resilient means is a metalspring.

8. In a seal adapted for high pressures to limit to limit uid flowbetween two surfaces, a sheet-like member having two ycontinuous edges,one of which engages one of said surfaces in a continuous line ofcontact and the other of which engages the other of said surfaces in acontinuous line of contact, the marginal portion of said member alongboth of said edges being corrugated Iand the edges thereof extendingparallel to the surfaces contacted across the entire extent of saidcorrugations to provide corrugated edges having continuous lines ofcontact with the surfaces with which they engage.

